Arzen Rose Dulzura

Mark Striegl and Lara Liwanag share what it’s like to have Manny Pacquiao as team captain for ‘Physical: Asia’

Article (news)

E. Kristhoff Cagape

Push Team

Mixed martial arts champion Mark &quot;Mugen&quot; Striegl and CrossFit athlete Lara Liwanag opened up about their experience having boxing legend Manny Pacquiao as their team captain for the Netflix reality competition Physical: Asia.Mark recalled how generous Manny was when it came to sharing advice that could help the team perform at their best.&quot;He&#x27;s the one and only Manny Pacquiao and it was surreal competing alongside him. I remember one time, in between shoots, we were sitting on the side waiting for our turn and he was just giving us tips on eating bananas for potassium and sharing the importance of being hydrated for competitions. He was so cool,&quot; he recounted in an interview with Boy Abunda.Lara shared that what impressed her most about the boxing icon was his unwavering faith. &quot;Tsaka &#x27;yung nagustuhan ko sa kanya, lahat ng quests namin sobrang faithful niya kay Lord as in nanghihingi siya ng guidance. Magsta-start siya ng prayer before we start. It was more of asking guidance lang sa mga quest,&quot; she said.  <iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQWXWyriUxr/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A128661.19999998808%2C%22ls%22%3A128363.19999998808%2C%22le%22%3A128571.59999999404%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="847" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>She also recalled the overwhelming moment when Team Philippines was introduced on the show and how the other teams reacted.&quot;Sobrang surreal for my end kasi hindi ko rin expect na makakasama ko siya. Parang &#x27;yung idol ko nandiyan lang sa tabi ko. Pero knowing na parang lahat sila nagagalingan dito ibig sabihin ang tingin nila kay Pacman talaga sobrang taas. Siya &#x27;yung pinakasikat na nandun na athlete,&quot; she highlighted. Manny led team Philippines in the show, which included Mark, Lara, rugby player Justin Coveney, strongman Ray Jefferson Querubin, and Olympic athlete Robyn Lauren Brown.In a past virtual interview with the media as uploaded on Gia Allana&#x27;s YouTube channel ahead of the show&#x27;s release, the boxing legend shared what convinced him to join Physical: Asia.&quot;Pinaka-na-excite ako nung binalita sa akin is &#x27;yung mga challenges na dadaanan namin, &#x27;yung mahaharap namin, iba&#x27;t ibang mga challenges because in the past nanonood ako ng show ay napakaganda for me to participate in a competiton like that. &#x27;Yung Physical: 100 pinanood ko and nung in-explain sa akin &#x27;yung concept, everything like that, I said yes.&quot;Describing the strength of Team Philippines, he remarked: &quot;Kumpleto kami dahil may malakas kami, may mabilis kami, at tsaka may mga plano kami, magaling mag-plan &#x27;yung mga kasama ko dito, so we can strategize lahat ng mga gagawin namin para manalo sa bawat challenge.”According to a press release by Netflix, the new season marks the franchise&#x27;s first-ever international tournament, where elite athletes from eight countries will compete in physically and mentally demanding quests.Inspired by Korean royal architecture and mythology, the set incorporates elements such as a judge modeled after a Jeoseungsaja (Korean grim reaper) standing under a giant moon, guardians based on Korean folklore, and monumental strength challenges.Producer Jang Hogi explained the inspiration: &quot;Our goal was to harmonize the diverse histories and cultures of Korea and Asia. We chose Geunjeongjeon Hall of Gyeongbokgung Palace (the main hall) as the main motif, a place where foreign envoys were once welcomed, making it the perfect stage to host athletes from across the region.&quot;He went on: &quot;Behind the throne at Geunjeongjeon sits the Ilwolobongdo, a painting of the sun and moon symbolizing royal authority. We placed those celestial motifs within key quests to represent the search for a new sovereign of the Physical series. By weaving in traditional music and instruments, we also wanted to share Korean artistry with the world.&quot;

Mark Striegl recalls how generous Manny Pacquiao was when it came to sharing advice that could help the team perform at their best.

Mark Striegl recalls how generous Manny Pacquiao was when it came to sharing advice that could help the team perform at their best.